Repositioner machine



Jan. 33, 1195@ N. w. LYON REPOSITIONER MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1946 INVENTOR k 3 HQ QQ\ WM/ A E WvNQ m /w\ Sm Q Q\ \m M m L N Jan. 33, 1950 N. w. LYON REPOSITIONER MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 12, 1946 INVENTIOR 116mm Mira/v- BY I ATTo Ngs Y Jan. 31, 1950 N. w. LYON 2,495,939

REPOSITIONER MACHINE Filed Dec. 12, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3/ 9a 1 1,? w]? 3 2 23 fi A/bmvA/v Mira/v 1 /4 6 w W BY 93 941 98 94 123 /0 Patented Jan. 31, 1950 REPOSITIONER MACHINE Norman W. 'Lyon,'Springfield, Mass, assignor to f-Package Machinery Company, Springfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 12, 1946, Serial No. 715,816

object the provision of a small light portable 7 machine of such easily running character that hand operation of the machine is adequate in obtaining therequired speed with which the cartridges are repositioned within the-link belt.

A hand crank is provided to feed the assembled link-belt ammunitionthroughthe machine until it protrudes on the opposite side and a novel feature is hereby introduced that an operator may grasp the endof the protruding link belt and pull .said belt its entire length by hand through the machine asfast as desired and the proper positioning action on the cartridges will take place as he does so, eliminating the necessity of turning-the hand-crank.

It is knownthat cartridges allowed to remain within the links of link belt ammunition fora eriod of time, especiallywhen subjected to salt air andmoisture, will corrode andbecome lodged within said links so that :their easy separation may become difficult, making it dangerous'to run such a .link 'belt through an automatic machine gun. Therefore, another feature of this machine is the fact that it willdisplace each cartridge from its existing position within the respective linksof said link-belt, whether' already in desired alignment-or not, to break any'corroSion r undesired tightness, and'then-repo'sition each car tridge for proper alignment '-within said belt necessary for efficient operation in'an automatic machine gun.

Another feature of this machine is its capability of aligning cartridges within links of different character which require a different I location. upon their respective cartridges for proper alignment within a machine {gun for efiicient operation-thereof, simply by shifting an adjusting handle to the designated position on the machine for properly handling either type of link desired.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a" small scale top planof the entire machine showingthe link belt ammunition entering .said machine with the cartridges noticeably misaligned and alsoprotrudingin perfectalignment after having been processed within said machine;

Fig.2 is a partial longitudinal section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1 with parts broken away and in adjustment for properly aligning .M-7 type links upons their -.respecti-ve cartridges;-

2 33 of Fig. 2 showing the several aligning plungers and extractors radially spaced and; supported in a cylinder mounted upon-a supporting drive shaft;

Fig. 4 is a right hand, end view of Fig. *2 with parts broken away and "diagrammatically shows the in'feed and dischargeline of travel of the link'belt ammunition throughjthemachine in the. direction of thearrows; Fig. 5 is avertical sectional view'taken on line 5-5 ofFig. '2 showing .the'cartridges in mesh with theradial pocketsof the feed'wheel 7 Fig. 16 is a left hand (end View of 'Fig. 2"an d shows the adjusting handle provided for adjusting'themachine to properly'care forthe .alignment of cartridges within M-7 o'rM-BtypeoI links respectively;

Fig. 7'shows a cartridge'properly placed within an M-7 link for emcient'and accurate use inan automatic ..machine gun;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing .theproper position of a cartridge within an "M 3 link;

.Fig. 9 is a detail sectionalview'takenvon line 9-9 of Fig.4'thr0ugh the infeedchannel ofthe machine;

Fig. 10 is a similar 'detailviewtaken'onJine ill-i0 ofFi 4 showingthe construction 'of' the discharge chute;

Fig. 1-1 is a top plan detailof one of the several combination plunger and-extractordevices as sembled .as a unit with certain parts broken away; and

-Figs. '12, '13 and 14 are successive views in section showing the different positions attained by each cartridgeas it is move d back and forth within the links bythe extractors and. plungers respectively to break any seal be'tweenit andsaid links before-it is finally properly positioned within said links by said n plungers.

Referring to the drawings, the entire machine is mounted upon a comparatively small base i and said base is provided at each .endthereof with handles 2, providing an easy method for manuallycarrying said machine where desired.

An .infeed channel '3 is provided for supporting the :link belt ammunition thereon :comprising cartridgesK and linksL. A dischargeehannel is provided in continuous alignment with said infeed channel (Fig.5). v

A central longitudinal shaft 4 is mounted for rotationin suitable bearings '-in "front andrear end frames e and firespectively, secured to' base,

l. v The shaft *4 has keyed toLit, .on ashouldered. portion :7, a cylinder 8 .which.contains the .pusher Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken on line and extractor units slidably mounted in chambers 9 equi-spaced circumferentially around the axis of shaft 4, for rotation with said shaft. Also mounted on said shouldered portion 1 and adjacent cylinder 8 is a wide drum-like feed wheel I8 provided on its periphery with equi-spaced pockets II in which the cartridges of the link belt are adapted to mesh for being fed through the machine. Cylinder 8 and feed wheel I8 are aligned on the same keyway which runs the entire length of the shouldered portion I of shaft 4 and are bound together for rotation with said shaft by a spanner nut I2 threaded as shown in Fig. 2 which tightly binds them as a unit against shoulder I3 on said shaft 4. At the forward end of shaft 4 two sprockets I4 and I5 are splined for rotation with said shaft and are adapted for horizontal adjustment thereon and secured in position by spanner nuts I6 and II, on at each outside face of said sprockets and with a spacer I8 located between said sprockets to keep them in proper relation. The sprockets I4 and I5 each provide on their periphery pockets or recesses in which the forward portion of the cartridges rest and mesh for being fed through the machine.

During the travel of the link belt through the machine, the links L do not mesh with the feed wheel in but are guided between the side of the pockets I I of said feed wheel and the side of the pocket of sprocket I4, and they bear against the latter mentioned side I la which serves as an end abutment for holding said links to an accurate position when the cartridges are pushed into place within said links by the positioning means which will be described later. Likewise, the side I'Ia of pockets II in feed wheel I8 serves as an abutment for said links when the cartridges are pulled from within them by the extractors when breaking any seal between cartridges and links, which action will also be described later;

Cylinder 8 has formed therein a plurality of equi-spaced chambers or bores 9 radially disposed from the center of supporting shaft 4. Each chamber or bore 9 contains a plunger assembly comprising two independently slidable members, viz. a pusher 2I and an extractor 22. The forward ends of each member are adapted to be brought into successive alignment with the butt ends I9 of cartridges K as the latter are carried over the top of the feed wheel It] in pockets II. The forward ends of the extractors are provided with hook shaped members 23 to engage the rims of said cartridges and pull them from within their respective links a short distance to break any seal or tight joint between said cartridges and said links for their eventually easy separation when used as link belt ammunition in a machine gun.

Radially extending from the center of each bore 9 toward shaft I is a slot 24 in said cylinder 8 for the purpose of preventing any rotation, within said bore, of the extractor plunger which is slidably mounted therein and also provides a longitudinal slot running parallel to shaft 4 for the extractor hook 23 to travel within while acting upon the cartridge. The combination of bore 9 with slot 24 depending from it forms a key hole shaped passageway through cylinder 8. The pusher 2! is crescent shaped to fit the upper cylindrical portion 9 of said key hole opening, while the extractor plunger is thin and nearly square shaped to slidably fit partially within the depend ing slot 24 of cylinder 8 and partially within the slotted portion 25 of pusher 2|, thereby acting as a reciprocating key to prevent pusher 2I from rotating within the bore 9 in cylinder 8. As shown in Fig. 2, each pusher 2| carries at its left hand end a cam roller 3| mounted on a bearing pin 30, and each extractor plunger 22 similarly carries a roller 36 mounted on a bearing pin 35.

A housing 48 is secured to rear end frame 6 by long screws 3I Within said housing are two barrel cams of different diameter, the larger one to control the action of the pushers 2| through the rollers 3I, and the smaller to simultaneously control the action of the extractors 22 by the rollers 36. The two barrel cams are stationary and are formed with cylindrical cam slots A and B in which the several rollers 3I' and 36, respectively, travel as they are carried in rotation with cylinder 8 and shaft 4. The two barrel cams with their cam slots A and B are formed by an assembly of four rings 46, 43, 45 and 4 I, the rings 43 and 45 being integrally joined, and ring 4I being spaced from ring 45 to form the positively acting groove A of the cam which operates the pushers 2| while ring 46 is spaced from ring 43 to form the positively acting groove B of the cam which operates the extractors 22, as best shown in Fig. 2. The several cam forming rings are held in assembled positions by the before mentioned long screws 31. The screws 31 pass through holes in housing 48 and member 45 and thread into end frame 6 to secure these several pieces together as a unit.

A gear casing 53 supports a pinion shaft 54, parallel to and above shaft 4, having a pinion gear 55 integral therewith. A hand crank 56 is secured to the extreme end of said shaft 54 by a clamping means 51. Casing 53 is rigidly secured to front end frame 5 by bolts 58. The front end of shaft 4 possesses an enlarged bearing surface 63 which is rotatably and slidably mounted in a needle bearing 6| journaled in front end frame 5. A reduced portion 62 on said shaft 4 has keyed to it at 63 an internal gear 65 secured in place by a binding nut 66. Pinion gear 55 is in constant mesh with internal gear 65 and as crank 56 is rotated in a clockwise direction shaft 4 will be rotated likewise simultaneously rotating sprockets I4 and I 5 and feed wheel I!) with which the cartridges of the link belt ammunition are in mesh for advancing said belt through the machine.

A hold back is provided to insure a clockwise rotation of hand crank 56 and to prevent the weight of the incoming link belt ammunition from rotating the feed wheel in a counterclockwise direction, comprising a weighted pawl II pivoted by shaft III in boss 68 of casing 53. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the nose of pawl 'II engages internal teeth of gear 65 and has an outside lift off handle I3 to release it when desired.

Suitable guide ribs I4 and I4 integral with arcuate cover plates I5 and I6, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, have been provided to confine the cartridges and links to the feed wheel I0 and sprockets I4 and I5 respectively during the repositioning process on said cartridges. The front cover I6 (Fig. 5) is pivotally supported on shaft II by a long hub portion I8 and a short hub I9 adjacent to collar secured to said shaft 11. A combination latching and lifting handle 8 I is pivoted at 82 on a projecting arm 83 integral with said hub IS. A stationary segment 84 secured to front end frame 5 is formed with two notches 85 and 86 approximately apart into which handle BI locks by means of two square latches 81 and 88 respectively, mounted at opposite ends of an arcuate base 89 of said handle 8 I, By the engageaaomeso ment of said latches with said notches, the front cover 75 may be locked in a closed or open position respectively. A lift of handle 8| automatically disengages latch 8'! from notch 85 as said handle 8! pivots on stud 82. Latch 88 will then contact arcuate surface 99 of segment 84 and ride.

on said surface'during the further lift on handle 8| until finally latch 88 will engage notch 86 and thereby hold cover 13 inan open position. Shaft 11 that supports the aforesaid covers is rigidly held against rotation in end frame 5 by a set screw 9! and also in end frame 6 by a similar set screw 92.

As the hand crank is rotated as described, shaft "4 together with sprockets l4 and I5, feed wheel 5!),andcylinder 8 are also rotated as previously described. Cylinder 8 carries pushers 2| andextractors '22 which simultaneously act upon the butt ends 'o'fcartridges K confined within the radial pockets of feed wheel it and perform the following operations.

Referring toFig. 5, center line I indicates the position whereFig. 12 is taken. Pusher 2! is at the end of its dwell backandis ready to start forward, in the direction of the arrow, toward the butt end of the cartridge. Extractor hook 23 is at the end of a short dwell forward and ready to start back again to contact rim R and move it to the dotted position R to break any seal or tight joint between cartridge K and links L. As the extractor hook 23 pulls the cartridge from within its respective links L (Fig. 12), said links are prevented any lateral movement by their'contact with the inside surface I to of the feed wheel ID.

Pusher 2! is at its extreme open or dwell back position to allow the entrance of incoming cartridges on the link belt. Said cartridges may be ,4! too far out from normal position as indicated at R or /1" too far in toward the links as indicated' at R" (Fig. 12) and they will be properly cared for and repositioned as described. The full line position R indicates the normal position of the cartridge properly positioned within its respective link L. Referring to Fig. 5, center line II indicates the position where Fig. 13 is taken. The cartridge was left by the hook 23 as shown, in an extreme rearward position, and said hook is here shown moving forward, in the direction of the arrow, before the plunger 2! contacts the butt end is of the cartridge during its travel forward. Center line III on Fig. 5 indicates the position where Fig. 14 is taken. Said figure shows the cartridge left at the proper position within its respective links by the pusher 2| at the end of its forward stroke and about to return in the direction of the arrow and dwell way back in the position shown in Fig. 12 as the feed wheel shaft continues to rotate and until it reaches the position. indicated at I again when it will repeat the action just described on another cartridge. Extractor hook 255 is at the end of a short dwell sufficient for the cartridge to leave th pocket of the feed wheel ll! after traveling past center line III. Then hook 23 slowly moves in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 14) until it reaches a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 12, during which time feed wheel ill will rotate from position III to position I. The hook 23 is centrally located in the slotted end 53 of extractor 22. It is pivoted to extractor 22 on pin 96 and has a tail portion 555 extending in the opposite direction from said hook 23. Said tail 95 is held in a depressed position by a spring 96 mounted between its end and the upper portion of extractor slot 93. Said spring forces said hook 23 in an upward 6 direction so that positive contact will be made with the rim of the cartridge as the occasion presents itself. 'During the absence of a cartridg 'within'a pocket, the upward movement of said hoo'k'is limited by the provision of a stop lug 9'? which will contact the vertical wall-98 of extractor fi. As the pusher 2i pushes the cartridge into its respective links L (Fig. 14), said links are prevented any lateral movement by their contactwiththe inside surface Ma of the guid sprocketl l. Thus theaction of one repositioning unit, comprising a pusher and an extractor has just been described and it will be understood that all other such units confined Within the several radially spaced-chambers of cylinder 8'willisimultaneoously act upon the succeeding cartridges within the link belt as said cartridges'come into successive axial alignment with said'repositioning units.

The'discharge channel '99 consists of suitable supportslcil (Fig.10) upon which cartridges rest as they depart through said channel. Upper guides it! are accurately spaced from said supports to allow the free travel of the cartridges between them, and also provide a'substantial sup port against which the cartridges bear and easily slide, especially when said belt is pulled through the machine by hand, as previously described.

Provision has been made to properly position cartridges with either of two types of links, namely the M-? (Fig. '7) or the M-3 type, each of which requires a different measurement from the butt end id of the cartridge to the extreme outer edge'of the links as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8. It will be noted from these two figures that link M-7 has lugs depending from the outside edges of the two lower loops while the M-3 type shown in Fig. 8 has none at all. To accurately fire the cartridges from either type link belt structure in an automatic machine gun, the dimensions shown on the drawing must be adhered to. The machine set up just described has been for positioning cartridges within the M-7 type links.

To adjust the machine for positioning car- 3 tridges within the M-3 type links, an adjusting handle [92 has been provided (Fig. 6). The op erator must release the spring pressed detent H33 by pulling out on knob I06 and then move the handle clockwise by handle M2 to the M-3 position N35. The lifting handle 2 prevents adjusting handle it: from being moved in the wrong direction. When said handle I02 is moved from M-7 to M-3 position, shaft 5 which carries feed wheel l0, supports sprockets l4 and I5, and cylinder 8, possessing the pusher and extractor units, is moved in a longitudinal manner within the machine. Cam slots A and B, for said pushers and extractors respectively, keep their same relative positions within the housing 40. This requires said pushers and extractors to deliver the same length of stroke at all times. A threaded sleeve 586 is mounted for rotation on threads 50'! in hub m8 of housing 40. Handle 32 is secured by screws 5'09 to said sleeve I 05 which carries ball bearing Hi) therein. Shaft e is rotatably secured to said bearing III) on reduced portion i II by lock nut I I2.

By this simple and accurate adjustment, shaft and all that is secured thereto, moves laterally on needle bearing St at its right hand end, as shown in Fig. 2, and on screw threads I 01 in hub 108 at its other end. Gear 65 is made deep enough to allow its movement to the dotted line position indicated at H3. The position of the links, confined between the respective sides of feed wheel I and sprocket M, will be moved laterally in relation to the fixed stroke of the plunger assembly. By maintaining the same plunger stroke the cartridges will not be pushed into the M-3 links so far as with the M-7 adjustment therefore acquiring the desired 3.80 dimension from the butt of the cartridge to the extreme edge of the link as desired.

An additional adjustment has been provided for precisely obtaining'the position of the links of either type upon their respective cartridges by removing screws I09 and then rotating handle I02 tothe'right or left at intervals of 90 and replacing said screws.

In the mechanism described, return'springs for the working parts are not employed. Thus there is no resistance load to be overcome in the operation of the machine except the necessary work of repositioning the cartridges within their respective links several of which are being processed at one time. The frictional resistanc of all moving parts is negligible and the maximum results in easy running character are obtained for this type of machine which has been stated before that to pull the link belt through by hand is suerior to hand crank operation and equal to a power drive.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for repositioning'the cartridges in the links of link belt ammunition which comprises, arotatable drive shaft, means for driving 1 shaft, a feed wheel fixed to said shaft and ng plurality of peripheral pockets for receiving the linked cartridges as the belt is fed through the machine, a cylinder fixed to said shaft, plurality of repositioning units reciprocably mounted in said cylinder and positioned in alignment one unit with each pocket of the feed wheel, each of said units comprising an extractor member provided on its end adjacent the wheel with a spring hook for engaging the rim of a cartridge in the aligned wheel pocket and on its opposite end with a cam wheel, anda pusher member provided on its end adjacent the wheel with a head for engaging the base of said car tridge and on its opposite end with a cam wheel, and means'operative upon rotation of said shaft to reciprocate said members relative to the cy1 inder and each other, said means comprising a stationary positively acting cylindrical cam with which the cam wheels of the extractor members engage to retract the extractor and displace the cartridge engaged thereby from its link, and a stationary positively acting cylindrical cam with which the cam wheels of the pusher members engage to advance the pusher into engagement with the displaced cartridge and reposition the latter in predetermined relation to its link.

2. A machine as in claim 1 having a sprocket shaped wheel secured to the drive shaft and spaced from the feed wheel, the adjacent faces of said sprocket and feed wheels forming abutments preventing transverse movement of the links during the displacement and repositioning of the cartridges in the links.

NORMAN W. LYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,289,393 Turnock et a1. July 14, 1942 2,358,930 Jackson Sept. 26, 1944 2,372,399 Smith et a1 Mar. 27, 1945 2,415,561 Jervey Feb. 11, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 325,972 Great Britain Mar. 6, 1930 533,424 Great Britain Feb. 13, 1941 554,012 Great Britain June 16, 1943 

